NEWS AU: Middle America marches for peace

IF GEORGE W. Bush looks out of the Oval Office window this weekend he will probably see the biggest peace demonstration in Washington since the Vietnam War.

But he will not see hippies or long-haired peaceniks. He will be looking instead at a huge cross-section of Middle America: doctors, corporate lawyers, chief executives, truck drivers, nurses, military families, grandmothers, even families of September 11 victims. And they won't be burning the American flag. They will be carrying it with pride.

Meanwhile the Washinton Post reports: Democrats Find New Purpose

Democrats, after fumbling about for most of last year, seemed to have been reinvigorated by their Election Day drubbing, finding new purpose and resolve in challenging the president on tax cuts, affirmative action, judicial appointments, the handling of Korea and Iraq and even committee assignments in the House and Senate.

My favorite constitutionalist is also after Bush: Byrd: Bush Gives U.S. 'Bully' Image.

Byrd said Bush appeared eager to apply his doctrine of preemptive military action against less powerful countries such as Iraq, but not against countries that may pose a nuclear threat, such as North Korea.

That is bad policy from a bumbling administration.

Scoop, in New Zealand notes that Bush Is Racking Up "Frequent Liar Miles"

Every newspaper, one of them the LA Times, is looking at affirmitive action in public universities since Bush has weighed in denouncing "quotas" that aren't quotas. This puts 'Race-Neutral' University Admissions in Spotlight.

The public universities of California, Texas and Florida, whose "race-neutral" admissions policies were applauded by President Bush this week, are notable for their efforts to achieve the goals of affirmative action — racial diversity — without actually using affirmative action.

The problem which they don't touch - the alternative solutions only work because of highly segregated high schools. Is that what we want to promote, let's segregative the high schools and then allow the top students from these black high schools admission?

I am noticing Crossfire seems to slowly be getting a more democratic audience. More hopeful signs.